Everything You Didn’t Know Dishwashing Soap Can Clean
We all know the glory of dishwashing detergent when it is used to fight hardened food, grease and grime on our plates, pots and utensils (you all love your Dawn ). But did you know about its countless other uses in the home? From stain removal to fruit fly control, see the many blessed wonders of liquid dish detergent.
Removing grease stains from clothes and carpet
What should you do first if cooking oil, pizza fat, salad dressing, or even lipstick accidentally gets on your clothes? Your new best friend, dish soap. Apply one to two drops to the stain, rub in and leave for a short time before rinsing. Wash your clothes as usual and say goodbye to that almost stain. (Dish soap can also be used to remove non-greasy food stains, washable silk, and collar rings.)
To remove stains from carpet, dip a clean cloth into a solution of two cups of warm water and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Blot the stain. Repeat as needed until the stain is completely absorbed by the fabric. Once the stain has been removed, apply cold water to the affected area before drying the stain.
Decorate stainless steel and cabinets
When streaks of water and thousands of tiny fingerprints cover your kitchen appliances, a damp cloth and a few drops of dish soap will work wonders to remedy the situation. If you can spot the grain of the stainless steel , rub it along the grain to avoid scratching it. Finish with a dry towel to make these surfaces shine; microfiber works best and leaves no lint.
Dishwashing liquid applied to a damp sponge (or added to a spray bottle of water) will also remove grease and stickiness from the top of your cabinets . If the bottom of your kitchen island happens to be covered in rubber shoe marks from the repeated kicks of tiny feet (like mine), try it there too.
Clean your grill or oven
Make your own oven cleaning solution by mixing water, baking soda, and dish soap until a paste forms. Spread throughout the oven, then spray from a bottle filled with equal parts vinegar and water. Leave for a few hours (or overnight) before scrubbing off dirty deposits.
For grill grates : After removing any large charred pieces or debris, mix 1/2 cup baking soda and enough dish soap to make a thick paste. Apply and leave on for at least 30 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.
Make gems (and silver) shine
Seltzer and dish soap combine to form an unexpected quick fix for jewelry. Mix a few drops of dishwashing liquid with seltzer water and toss your diamond, sapphire, and emerald trinkets into it for five minutes. According to Good Housekeeping lab testing, “carbonation helps to loosen the soil and remove debris stuck in settings and on edges.” Use a soft toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt and make them shine like they were fresh from a jewelry store.
For silver, a few drops of dishwashing detergent mixed with warm water and applied with a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge can quickly remove the tarnish, although this method is not recommended for frequent use.
Trap for fruit flies and midges
Fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap, then microwave briefly to intensify the strong apple cider smell. Sit back and wait for the vinegar to attract tiny flies and the dish soap to lower the liquid’s surface tension, causing them to sink into the clothes.
Clean outdoor furniture
Terrace tables and chairs fail when living outdoors. Remove sticky tar, pollen, and mold residue from any material (wood, plastic, bamboo, wicker, or metal) with a sponge dampened with a mixture of dishwashing detergent and warm water. For best results, rinse with a garden hose and dry with a towel.
Removing soap suds, stickers and labels
Did you know that you don’t have to shell out bottle after bottle of aggressive ammonia-based cleaners for your bathroom? Instead, soak the bathtub or shower liberally with dishwashing liquid, then scrub it with a bath brush, grout brush, or clean broom (which you only use for this purpose) and watch the soap suds and mold wash away. To make a cleaner that will remove stubborn water stains, mix equal parts dish soap and white vinegar (to dissolve minerals deposited in hard water) in a spray bottle.
Dishwashing detergent also effectively removes pesky residue from price tags and store labels. Apparently, it can even remove oil stains from concrete and clear drains ! To be honest, until today, I had no idea about the depth of usefulness of dishwashing detergent. But now it will have to battle vinegar for the title of the all-purpose household cleaner closest and dearest to my humble, homemade, efficiency-based heart.